Rod Authority’s “Best Of 2018” – Cruella De Ville Corvette

Best of 2018 – This story went over big in 2018 on Rod Authority. Reskinned Corvettes are nothing new, but this attempt was pretty successful, depending on your appreciation of Baroque revival cars. We’ll give you a taste of the story here, or check out the original article for the whole piece.  Enjoy!

For those too young to remember the disco era and Ronald Reagan, retro cars were once all the rage. Posh names like Zimmer, Clenet, Excalibur as well as “tribute” versions of Auburn Speedsters, Cord Roadsters and ’32 Model A Fords, were abundantly recreated in fiberglass riding on top of modern running gear. They fell out of favor years ago and are now considered taste-challenged jalopies from a bygone era, minus the provenance.

This 1974 Excalibur was a re-bodied C3 Corvette.

Then there were re-bodied Corvettes and Fieros. Some were hideous–badly executed Greenwood kits, Les Dunham/Superfly cars and miniature Ferraris come to mind–while other builders like Callaway went in a more synergistic direction by upgrading the entire car with a clear goal, to go fast.

“Caballista” by Les Dunham

The Fiero and the C4 Corvette ushered in the modern blueprint of a drivable chassis and (easily swapped) non-structural body panels. All the latest iterations of the Corvette since–RIP Fiero–continue this tradition.

Classis Reflection Coachworks

According to Carscoops, “We might just be looking at one of Geneva’s weirdest supercars in the Zeclat. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine, which allows it to get from zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in a blistering 3.6 seconds, thanks to 460 HP and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm) of torque.

And yes, we don’t need to look that close in order to see it’s based off a Corvette C7 wearing a custom exterior body. It’s low, wide, and (supposedly) styled after aero cars created in the 1930s by French coach-builders such as Figioni & Falaschi, Bugatti, Chapron and PourTout – though, we’ll leave you to tell us if it lives up to those names…

Door, roof “hoop” and greenhouse from B-pillar forward are easily recognized as C7.

Inside, the Corvette C7’s cabin is unchanged featuring the familiar driver-oriented cockpit, with hand-stitched leather, carbon fiber, piano black glossy surfaces and polished aluminum here and there.

About the author

Dave Cruikshank

Dave Cruikshank is a lifelong car enthusiast and an editor at Power Automedia. He digs all flavors of automobiles, from classic cars to modern EVs. Dave loves music, design, tech, current events, and fitness.
Read My Articles

Hot Rods and Muscle Cars in your inbox.

Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Street Muscle, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE!

Free WordPress Themes
Street Muscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

We'll send you the most interesting Street Muscle articles, news, car features, and videos every week.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Street Muscle NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE!

We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...


fordmuscle
Classic Ford Performance
dragzine
Drag Racing
chevyhardcore
Classic Chevy Magazine

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Subscribe to more FREE Online Magazines!

We think you might like...

  • fordmuscle Classic Ford Performance
  • dragzine Drag Racing
  • chevyhardcore Classic Chevy Magazine

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

streetmusclemag

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Street Muscle - The Ultimate Muscle Car Magazine

Thank you for your subscription.

Thank you for your subscription.

Loading